Religion & Ecology
July 2010
Banner photo: Alpine Flowers and Cloud Reflection, Colorado [© Carr Clifton]
"Women and a Culture of Peace" Forum in Japan
Mikiko Otani talks about the significance of Resolution 1325 [© Seikyo Shimbun]
The Soka Gakkai Women's Peace Committee (WPC) hosted a forum with the theme "Women and a Culture of Peace" at the Soka International Women's Center in Tokyo, Japan, on February 27. Some 200 people attended. The event observed the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. It also commemorated International Women's Day, held annually on March 8.
Keynote speaker for the event was Mikiko Otani, an attorney and member of the Women's Bar Association and the International Human Rights Law Association of Japan.
Ms. Otani conveyed the significance of Resolution 1325, which is the first resolution ever passed by the UN Security Council that specifically addresses the impact of war on women and women's contributions to resolving conflict and building sustainable peace. Prior to this resolution, women were mainly referred to as victims.
Former UN Under-Secretary-General Anwarul K. Chowdhury, a key figure behind Resolution 1325, sent a message of encouragement to mark the occasion. He stressed the importance of women in fostering peace in their communities and beyond, and how the significance of women's roles has often been overlooked. Citing SGI President Ikeda's 2010 Peace Proposal, Ambassador Chowdhury agreed that the significance of Resolution 1325 lies in the fact that "it was a declaration to the world at the threshold of the twenty-first century that women's involvement is essential if lasting peace is to be realized."
